Ed Miliband: Pride shows Britain at its best
Writing exclusively for PinkNews, Ed Miliband discusses why he thinks pride is still important, celebrates what has been done for LGBT rights, and goes on to say there is more to be done in combating discrimination.
I want to send my best wishes to everyone taking part in this year’s Pride in London. I hope you have a fantastic day.
Pride shows Britain at its best, with our capital city coming to a standstill to recognise our LGBT community. It highlights how far we have come on equality and in accepting and celebrating each other’s differences.
Together we have made great progress towards equality: creating an equal age of consent; ending the ban on LGBT people serving in our forces; increasing sentences for hate crimes; outlawing discrimination in goods and services; ending Section 28; civil partnerships and earlier this year we welcomed the first equal marriages.
The Labour Party champions equality because it is the right thing to do. The desire to create a more just society goes to the heart of what it means to be British. That is why we must all speak up against prejudice.
Yet despite progress there is still more to be done, and that is why I join with you in speaking out against homophobic and transphobic bullying. And we must continue to speak out for those across the world without a voice who are facing persecution and prejudice because of their gender or sexuality. This is why under a Labour Government I will continue to support you in this and appoint an envoy on the international agenda of LGBT rights.
Ed Miliband is the leader of the Labour Party.
